System Architecture

Sam, an student of B-school, goes to his friend Alex to get some idea about System Architecture.

Sam: Hi Alex.

Alex: Hello Sam.

Sam: Alex, my teacher had given me an assignment on System Architecture, but I do not have any idea about it. Can you please tell me that what exactly System Architecture is.

Alex: Sure. It is not a rocket science Sam. It is quite easy to understand. A system architecture is the conceptual model that defines the structure, behavior, and more views of a system. A system architecture comprises system's components. It can provide a plan from which products can be procured, and systems developed, that will work together to implement the overall system. 

Basically system architecture is of following type:

• Single Tier application 
• Two Tier: Client Server Architecture
• Three Tier: Client Server Architecture
• Multi Tier Architecture

Single Tier Application: Single Tier Application System is the simplest architecture system. In this system, the data and the application resides on the same machine (platform). It whatever you will create, will be present on same machine. But this data will remain to just one system, others can not access it.

Two Tier: Client Server Architecture: In this type of system data is separated from the application and stored on a different platform. Others can access it through their own machine. The storage device of data is called the server. The network through which all the users are connected is called the Local Area Network.

Some of the plus point of using this data is:

• Single data can be use, update, and further use by multiple number of person simultaneously.
• Data is not stored in any client machine, so that their is no workload on client machine, which further reduces the risk of low speed of response.

Three Tier: Client Server Architecture: This system is divided into following three categories:

1. Data
2. Business App
3. User Interface

The user interface contains the colorful screens, the options menu etc. and remains in the client machine. The business app part is the common location. Where the records are being stored.This is called application server. In application server any significant change to the application has to be done only once at the central server.

Multiple Tier Architecture: Multiple Tier Architecture is client server application in which presentation, application processing, and data management functions are physically separated. The benefits of a multi tier solutions are often evident. They can provide better security, better performance and more scalability, as well as individual environments for data Centres and front-end applications.

I think these information would be helpful for you. 

Sam: Yes. This info is so much useful for me.

At least I have some idea about it now. Thank you Alex.

Alex: Your welcome Sam.